As many as 71 people overdosed in the city in 24 hours — many on the Green Wednesday — as emergency crews raced to save lives and one man was arrested as a “person of interest” in the case, police said Wednesday.
The man, whom investigators identified only as a person “believed to be connected to at least some of the overdoses,” was found in possession of drugs, police said. The man was out on parole when he was arrested Wednesday and is “known” to police, Police Chief Anthony Campbell said.
More than 70 people had overdosed since Tuesday evening from what is believed to be the synthetic cannabinoid K2, which may or may not have been laced with fentanyl, officials said. Dozens of overdoses were reported on the Green Wednesday, Fire Chief John Alston said. As of Wednesday afternoon 34 people had been taken to the hospital citywide and five refused treatment, he said.